XU , Lun

Abstract Odorant receptors (ORs) expressed in mammalian olfactory sensory neurons are essential for the sense of smell. However, structure–function studies of many ORs are hampered by unsuccessful heterologous expression. To understand and eventually overcome this bottleneck, we performed heterologous expression and functional assays of over 80...

G protein-coupled olfactory receptors (ORs) enable us to detect innumerous odorants. They are also ectopically expressed in non-olfactory tissues and emerging as attractive drug targets. ORs can be promiscuous or highly specific, which is part of a larger mechanism for odor discrimination. Here, we demonstrate that the OR extracellular loop 2...